A diode switch of this type is known from the magazine "Elektor", Sep. 1975-9-38, FIG. 3. The switching states of the diodes are in this case controlled via applied potentials which can themselves be changed by the optional closure of a circuit leading across a switching transistor in the shunt arm. However, a disadvantage consists in the fact that on account of the curvature of the diode curves, only very small input-end signal of e.g., a few mV can be transmitted with a sufficiently low distortion factor.